Tonight: World's Most Dangerous CD Release at Dan Electro's

It’s no accident this fearsome foursome of Houstonians and New Orleans expats contracts to WMD. Debut Southern Fried Throwdown rocks with the kind of two-fisted, double-barreled, metal-edged frenzy that should make the boys in ZZ Top swell with regional pride and Motorhead’s Lemmy look nervously over his shoulder.

As with other bands of its Dixie-fried ilk – Honky, Supagroup, Syrup – WMD opts to mine a limited range of subject matter, namely drink, drugs, sex and the South, but the group does have a sense of social responsibility. One song, after all, is called “Put the Cold Beer Down,” though it’s probably only so the poor bastard who's driving can hold the steering wheel – a theory supported by “Driving By Braille” (itself a worthy heir of ZZ’s “Arrested for Driving While Blind”).

WMD’s musical range is likewise limited to the deep-fried blues of “Swamp Ass” – which is not about the unfortunate crotchular chafing that happens when you take a long walk on a hot day – or the more metallic assaults of “Hoot Toot and a Shoot” or “Texneck.” Anyone who might take exception to such brazen political incorrectness probably doesn’t belong at a WMD show anyhow, and those who do will want to a copy of Southern Fried Throwdown to fill in any memory gaps that might arise. – Chris Gray